who say's its an incorrect ratio?? i've toyed with different ratio/gains - and this works for me. It a gain of 2.53:1, and it works.- i regularly ride hills, and flats and enjoy spinning.... Offroad i use a 36 chainring & 18 tooth freewheel, ie a 2:1 ratio.

I'm not aware of a strict rulebook that says u must use ratio XXXX if u ride in certain situations.

A 38/15 gear, with a 26" 1.5" tyre gives an average speed of about mid 30km/h at a spin of just over 100rpm. If u introduce real life conditions - hills/ wind/ trail conditions, that's perfect for me, esp. once a few hills are introduced, and spin/speed drops.

You may be a gear masher, but i like to spin (and fitness is not the problem

Damn peer group pressure...the bike isn't finished yet...I don't have adaptors for the I9 front wheel, so I'm still running the Hope Pro II jobbie, but you get the idea...

The Hope Pro II wheel with the old Reba was very flexible.
The old Reba with the I9 front wheel was much better.
The 09 Reba with the Pro II front wheel is better again.
I can't wait to get the I9 wheel with the 09 Reba...

This is a medium frame, it fits me much better than the large that I had previously (23.5 vs 24.5 TT) despite Turners recommendations.

Wowee!
Is that the 4inch Sultan?
How does the Reba go? I've heard theey use their full travel much more easily.
Maybe St Andrews this saturday for a demo run??

Hud,

I'd love to do another St A ride, but I've picked up another virus *sneezes*. My MTB'ing since June consists of only 2 serious rides (I don't really count the bunch of Yarra Trails rides), one at You Yangs a couple of months ago, and a ride at Lysty on Sunday. I was sick again on Monday... Not having a good second half to the year...

With one Yarra Trails Ride and the ride at Lysty, I don't have much time on the Reba yet. However, I will say that it seems to use it's travel more easily than the pre 09 Reba. I generally only used 90mm of the 100mm on the old Reba, I used 110-115 of the 120 on Sunday. Strangely it doesn't feel any more "plush" or more controlled, maybe it needs to bed it?? The big difference is in the stiffness and the corresponding increase in predictability of the steering and handling. I turn the bike and it goes where I want....this didn't happen with the old Reba.

The frame is an 08 4" Sultan, not the new DW link. I purschased the frame for ~$A2100 on sale. The new 09 DW's will be ~$3.8 for the frame....yes 3.8k... Having said this the revised Pivot pricing will be ~$A3.5k Shame on the Aussie dollar.

I'd like a DW link bike, they have 4.7" (vs 4.2 to be exact for the 06-08), and from what I've read they

handle square edge hits better,

climb better because of the anti squat (so there is no need to run any ProPedal for climbing to stop the rear end from squatting excessively as the 06-08 bikes do - having said this I've purchased a Low Volume fox can to try and may get the shock PUSHed to tweak it)

and have less 'brake jack'

I considered getting an 09 DW for a nano-second, but the pricing, the lack of availability, the unproven new model status, and the fact that the meduim is REALLY unattractive turned me off.

Interesting. Never heard of a low volume shock, does it have a skinnier 'can' than standard? I know the high volume can is larger, considering one for the Superlight.

I got a quote for a green '08 5-spot a few months ago, it was about 2.3k, at a runout price, only a fleeting interest in it though. The pricing now is hideous.
I'm cursed with a different new bike desire every week.

Interesting. Never heard of a low volume shock, does it have a skinnier 'can' than standard? I know the high volume can is larger, considering one for the Superlight.

I got a quote for a green '08 5-spot a few months ago, it was about 2.3k, at a runout price, only a fleeting interest in it though. The pricing now is hideous.
I'm cursed with a different new bike desire every week.

My Marin has a large volume can. I love large volume cans

Apparently teh large volume can allows full travel and does not "ramp up" near teh end. I have to say that it does just that and feels "bottomless"

Interestingly teh marin has all of the features you discuss Rich- anti squat, square edge hits, anti dive..... and does not cost 4K!!!

I looked at a DW link when i was considering a dually and if i could have got old of an 08 iron horse i would have too Other than IBIS and Pivot- Turner is teh only other playa?

Apparently teh large volume can allows full travel and does not "ramp up" near teh end. I have to say that it does just that and feels "bottomless"

Interestingly teh marin has all of the features you discuss Rich- anti squat, square edge hits, anti dive..... and does not cost 4K!!!

I looked at a DW link when i was considering a dually and if i could have got old of an 08 iron horse i would have too Other than IBIS and Pivot- Turner is teh only other playa?

I'd be very interested in a 29er FS Marin when they make one , but from what I've seen nobody imports the Marin FS bikes in to Aus ... 'sup with dat?

yep, the only 3 DW licensees now are IBIS, Pivot and Turner. From what i hear the Iron Horse's didn't have the best quality control, frame alignment etc, US business model.

You raise a good point, Dave Weagle is missing out on a mass market player (although he was sueing Giant for infringment...) I wonder who he might license too if he wants to go back to the mass market??

HUD, the RP23 is available with either a Low Volume or a High Volume air can, and the cans can be changed depending on the bikes linkage design, rider weight, rider preferences etc. Lots of 200lb+ boys ride the Sultan with a LV can.

Just a little bit..

New Hope BB, proudly installed by yours truly. I was hoping (no pun intended) that with my new post-mount forks that I'd also be able to run my other blue Hope rotor, but alas 'twas not to be. There is still rivet rub. Will post a less awkward pic of the SL when I get a chance. It's now around 500g lighter at11.4kg with the swapped bits from the 'Piph, aiming for 10.9kg long term...

Apologies there are no pics as yet since I just whacked it straight on the bike and took off for a ride but I finally have in my hands on a discontinued brand new 27.0mm Thomson straight seatpost in silver.

I know I know pretty much everyone already has a thomson post but:

a) I couldn't afford one normally
b) the size I need was discontinued in silver
c) it was $80AUD including shipping from the USA

So I figure there is some porn value to me in actually owning one.
Brilliant. Will post a pic of it on the bike asap.

Geez, I'm feeling left out. Hud has a new rig and new bits on one of his old rigs, ILMP has a new rig, Hud's brother trumps everybody with the trifecta, a new rig, a thread about his new rig and its build, and a new name....Casnell's thrown down a very tasty 575. It's all happening!

Geez, I'm feeling left out. Hud has a new rig and new bits on one of his old rigs, ILMP has a new rig, Hud's brother trumps everybody with the trifecta, a new rig, a thread about his new rig and its build, and a new name....Casnell's thrown down a very tasty 575. It's all happening!

Poor PD. You know that a 6"AM rig will fix that right up ...or maybe a Gravity dropper?

Hey- i got your email too- sorry i'v e been very busy- i will get back to you. Currently trying to workout the passport- that expired without my knowledge

Geez, I'm feeling left out. Hud has a new rig and new bits on one of his old rigs, ILMP has a new rig, Hud's brother trumps everybody with the trifecta, a new rig, a thread about his new rig and its build, and a new name....Casnell's thrown down a very tasty 575. It's all happening!

I hate kicking you when you're down Puddleduck, but I've got some pics of the Ala Carte finally rolling on 650b wheels. The Cog social ride tonight will be it's first proper ride.
Xt hubs (expecting them to come loose halfway into the ride...) laced to Stans 650b 355 rims, setup with yellow tape tubeless system. Tyres are Pacenti Neo-Moto 2.3's front and rear. These are based on the Panaracer Rampage.
Looking forward to tonight!
Posted up a pic using the lines on the garage door to compare the wheel size to a 26" wheel.

I hate kicking you when you're down Puddleduck, but I've got some pics of the Ala Carte finally rolling on 650b wheels. The Cog social ride tonight will be it's first proper ride.
Xt hubs (expecting them to come loose halfway into the ride...) laced to Stans 650b 355 rims, setup with yellow tape tubeless system. Tyres are Pacenti Neo-Moto 2.3's front and rear. These are based on the Panaracer Rampage.
Looking forward to tonight!
Posted up a pic using the lines on the garage door to compare the wheel size to a 26" wheel.

NNNnnnooooo, it's not happening *starts rocking in his chair at work*. I want a 650B *said using the voice of Veruca Salt from Charlie & the Chocolate Factory*

I hate kicking you when you're down Puddleduck, but I've got some pics of the Ala Carte finally rolling on 650b wheels. The Cog social ride tonight will be it's first proper ride.
Xt hubs (expecting them to come loose halfway into the ride...) laced to Stans 650b 355 rims, setup with yellow tape tubeless system. Tyres are Pacenti Neo-Moto 2.3's front and rear. These are based on the Panaracer Rampage.
Looking forward to tonight!
Posted up a pic using the lines on the garage door to compare the wheel size to a 26" wheel.

Well, obviously it was originally designed for 26" wheels, but a lot of frames, this one included can handle the bigger diameter. It's kinda has the best aspects of both 26" and 29" setups, without the negatives. Read all about it in the 650b forum!
Rode it tonight and loved it! Very quick with the wheel setup, noticably smoother rolling over the rough stuff. I'd deliberately done a few rides on it recently in 26" format to compare. The difference is subtle but substantial. One thing I will do is change it back to 80mm when I get the fork serviced. A little wobbley on steep singetrack climbs.

White Charge Spoon for the Big Kahuna!

9 speed + fork project - SIR9

I've been collecting bits over the past 4 months or so, whenever a good deal came up.
It's amazing how much one can save if they bide their time.
Hafta say SRAM's anodizing looks like it's been in the sun for a year compared to CK.
A silver lockring on the cassette???

Very nice Hud. The SIR's gonna be prefect with these additions IMO. And nice work waiting for the green derailler. I'll be ineterested to hear what you think of the Minute. By all accounts it's a sweet fork - as is a lot of Manitou's recent stuff. I am eyeing off a Drake (poor man's Minute) for my 29er project. A little heavy at 4.7lbs but the price I'm looking at is hard to beat.

Which seems to be the trend you followed hey - "wait for the right part at the right price" ... which has saved me heaps too on all this stuff:

These cranks are gonna become 22/36 and black bashie .... not a fan of silver rings.

Very nice Hud. The SIR's gonna be prefect with these additions IMO. And nice work waiting for the green derailler. I'll be ineterested to hear what you think of the Minute. By all accounts it's a sweet fork - as is a lot of Manitou's recent stuff. I am eyeing off a Drake (poor man's Minute) for my 29er project. A little heavy at 4.7lbs but the price I'm looking at is hard to beat.

Which seems to be the trend you followed hey - "wait for the right part at the right price" ... which has saved me heaps too on all this stuff:

These cranks are gonna become 22/36 and black bashie .... not a fan of silver rings.

Never been one for "bike porn" and upgrades but all these cool colourful bits look nice. Maybe one day ill do a custom build but that day is a long way away.

This arived for me today.

I think I will have to have a quick ride Wednesday night before we go away to test them. Probably not the best lights but for the price could not say no. Budget is a big thing atm and when a mate was interested in them I decided to get one as well to help with postage. It suprised me how small the light and batteries were.

Never been one for "bike porn" and upgrades but all these cool colourful bits look nice. Maybe one day ill do a custom build but that day is a long way away.

This arived for me today.

I think I will have to have a quick ride Wednesday night before we go away to test them. Probably not the best lights but for the price could not say no. Budget is a big thing atm and when a mate was interested in them I decided to get one as well to help with postage. It suprised me how small the light and batteries were.

Never been one for "bike porn" and upgrades but all these cool colourful bits look nice. Maybe one day ill do a custom build but that day is a long way away.

This arived for me today.

I think I will have to have a quick ride Wednesday night before we go away to test them. Probably not the best lights but for the price could not say no. Budget is a big thing atm and when a mate was interested in them I decided to get one as well to help with postage. It suprised me how small the light and batteries were.

Ahhhhh, has it got a roof?? four walls? floors??....... house can wait!!

Yes, yes and yes. But it's taken long enough - time to knock this thing on the head so I can focus on riding only.

Originally Posted by Hud

Hmm..I'm guessing a white frame?

Yeah - white at this stage. It'll all go with their bright blue as well, but I'm aiming for white. For some reason it's the only colour I can envisage owning a bike in. I like other people's bikes of other colours ... but I just want to build mine white.

King Cage in Stainless Steel. Hand made in the US. $25 including shipping and the lightest I've seen in a while. Can also get a lighter one in Ti but naturally it's way pricier. It looks beautiful up close... for a bottle cage that is.

Yeah they are road pedals! My SPDs are fused to the cranks of my previous mtb. I mustnt had applied enough grease when i installed them because neither i nor the LBS can get them off.

I had a spare pair of crappy shimanos road pedals sitting around, and my road shoes are more cumfy than my mtb shoes so it made sense to stick them on. So far theyve been ok, even in muddy river crossings they werent too bad!

Speedplays Ti are light. Nuisance to walk around in, but i tend not to 'cafe' much when im out riding so its ok.

Yeah ive dropped a few bottles off the mtb before i got the king cage. I use two more positioned behind the seatpost (like where they are for time trials) for 100km races. I have no idea what other spark users do for more water bottle because its only got one mount.

Yeah, been running a Monorail Exception on the back, with a Rendez up front, both in 2.1. The Monorail is FAST but it's getting cut up a bit in the rocky stuff and since I got a dually I'm hitting these sorts of things a bit harder. I had two Crossmark Exceptions but sold them - 500g each they were also going to get cut up. Went with the Ignitor 2.1 for the back and the 2.25 Ardent for the front as it's real loose here ATM. They should go OK.

I think I've just about got the suspension dialed in now. The big 2.25 Ardent I just threw on makes the front feel like a 5" fork, it rolls over a lot of trail debris and rocks like they aren't there, and has good flotation over the loose silt and gravel that I encounter a lot of.

I think I've just about got the suspension dialed in now. The big 2.25 Ardent I just threw on makes the front feel like a 5" fork, it rolls over a lot of trail debris and rocks like they aren't there, and has good flotation over the loose silt and gravel that I encounter a lot of.